Closure device for liquid containers



April 7, 1964 w. HABERLE CLOSURE DEVICE FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS Filed March 22, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 jm eman' Walt er Hake-r16 wpva April 7, 1964 w. HABERLE 3,123,000

CLOSURE DEVICE FOR LIQUID CONTAINERS Filed March 22, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Walter H berl q Ww United States Patent 3,128,006 (ILOSURE DEVIE FUR LIQUED CUNTAINERS Waiter Haberle, ill Gronauer-Weg, Bad Viibei, Hesse, Germany Filed Mar. 22, 1%2, Ser. No. 181,639 Ciaims priority, application Germany Dec. 2, 1958 29 (Jlaims. (Cl. 215-78) This invention relates to a closure device for liquid containers, more specifically for bottles for carbonated beverages with a neck, and is a continuation-in-part of the application filed by me on November 30, 1959, Serial No. 85 6,228, and embodies improvements in the art thereover. The closure device comprises a closure housing fitted on the neck of the bottle and a hose piece arranged in the closure housing and forming a passage for filling and emptying the bottle. The passage of the hose piece, when an actuating device is released, is automatically pressed together and closed by a spring-biased clamping member.

Compared with known closure devices of this kind, the embodiment in accordance with the invention differs by the fact that it is also suitable for use in connection with gas-saturated liquids, e.g. carbonated beverages. Moreover, in a completely assembled state, it may be fixed into place simply by mounting or screwing it on to the neck of the bottle. A rfurther advantage consists in the fact that it is unnecessary for the device to be removed from the neck of the bottle during filling and emptying the bottle. This is of considerable importance when filling the bottle by mechanical means.

According to the present invention, these advantages are achieved by providing a closure device for liquid containers which is characterized by the feature that the hose piece is enclosed by a sleeve-like supporting member inserted in the closure housing, at both ends of which hose piece a reinforcement is provided, each reinforcement serving as a sealing surface and being supported on one of the two end faces of the supporting member and, when the closure device is fixed to the neck of the bottle, these reinforcements are urged by one end face against a sealing surface provided on the closure housing and by the other end face against the edge of the bottle opening.

The construction may be such that the reinforcements serving as sealing surfaces engage around the two end faces of the supporting member.

To prevent the hose piece and the supporting member from turning when being installed in the closure housing, it is advisable to provide projections on the hose piece, preferably on the underside of the two reinforcements, and a guide wedge on the outer surface of the supporting member, which projections and which guide wedge engage in recesses in the supporting member and the closure housing, respectively. To facilitate the manufacture of the supporting member and the insertion of the hose piece in the supporting member it is advisable to produce the supporting member from two longitudinally divided halves.

A further feature of the invention consists in that the clamping member serving to compress the hose piece is mounted in the supporting member. Preferably, a slide is used as clamping member, which engages in a guide groove formed in the supporting member and extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof. This guide groove may have a sealing sur-fiace against which the hose piece is pressed in the closed position of the slide. It may be also provided with a control sort-ace which cooperates with the slide in such a manner that the pressure exerted by the slide is automatically increased when the internal pressure of the bottle rise-s. The control surface serving to increase the closing pressure may, however, also be provided on the slide.

3,l28,d60 Fatented Apr. 7, i964 Furthermore it is advisable for the construction to be such that the slide acting as clamping member engages with its end projecting from the supporting member on a tension lever non-positively connected to the actuating member and causing the slide to be moved into the closed position. The closing pressure acting on the tension lever may be produced by a tension ring consisting of rubber or any other suitable material and placed around the supporting member and the tension lever. To guide and accommodate the tension ring, a groove extending around the supporting member may be provided.

Moreover, the tension lever may be so fashioned that the tension ring, when the closure device is opened, is displaced on the tension lever towards the pivotal axis and reduces in length the lever arm with which the tension ring engages on the tension lever. The tension lever and the actuating member which may be constructed as a lever may be mounted on a common pivotal axis in the closure housing.

To protect the hose piece from damage it is advisable to construct the actuating member as a bell-crank lever which covers with one of its lever ends, in the closing posit-ion, the passage of the hose piece accessible from the outside. The bell-crank lever may be so fashioned that it surrounds the tension lever and the tension ring in a shell-like manner whereby the tension lever and the tension ring are protected against external influences. It is advisable in this respect to arrange the bell-crank lever between two outwardly projecting ribs provided on the closure housing. To make the closure device suitable also for mechanical filling of the bottle, the closure housing may be provided with a frustro-conical opening adapted to receive a filling nozzle. Furthermore it is advantageous to provide the closure housing on the pouring out side with a lip to facilitate pouring out.

A still further feature of the invention consists in the mounting of the closure housing on the neck of the bottle.

In accordance with the present invention the closure housing is screwed on to a threaded collar which is slipped over the neck of the bottle, which collar is divided longitudinally on one or both sides.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections through a closure device according to the invention in closed position and mounted on the neck of a bottle;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through the device in open position;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through the closure housing;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the closure housing illustrated in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section through a supporting member constructed in two parts;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the supporting member illustrated in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section through the hose piece;

FIG. 10 is a cross-section through the hose piece on the line ab of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal section through the clamping member constructed as a slide;

FIG. 12 is a top plan view of the slide illustrated in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal section through the actuating member constructed as a bell-crank lever;

FIG. 14 is a side elevation of the bell-crank lever illustrated in FIG. 13, and

FIG. 15 is a longitudinal section through a threaded collar constructed in two parts.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a closure device which comprises a closure housing 1 mounted on the neck 11 of a bottle and a hose piece 3 which forms a passage 10 and is arranged in a supporting member 2 constructed as a sleeve and is inserted therewith in the closure housing 1. The hose piece 3 is made of odorless and tasteless rubber or any other elastic material suitable for this purpose and, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, is provided at each end with a flange-like reinforcement 4. The wall thickness of the hose piece 3 in the middle portion thereof is so dimensioned that when the passage 10 is compressed, a tight seal is ensured. The hose piece 3 is supported with the reinforcements 4 on the two end faces of the supporting member 2 and, when the closure device is being mounted on the neck 11 of the bottle, is pressed firmly by the supporting member against a sealing surface 6 (FIG. 4) provided on the closure housing 1 and against the upper edge of the neck 11 of the bottle. To prevent the reinforcements 4 from being pulled off the end faces of the supporting member 2 when the device is closed, the reinforcements are so shaped that they engage around the end faces of the supporting member. On the underside of the reinforcements 4 there are provided projections 16 which engage in corresponding recesses 17 (FIGS. 6, 7) formed in the end faces of the supporting member 2 and prevent the hose piece 3 from turning. The supporting member 2 has on its outer surface a guide wedge 18 which, when being inserted in the closure housing 1, engages in a guide groove 19 in the closure housing and also prevents the supporting member 2 from turning. To facilitate insertion of the hose piece 3 in the supporting member 2, the supporting member 2 is assembled from two halves.

A slide is used as a clamping member for compressing the hose piece 3, which slide is mounted in a guide groove 13 formed in the supporting member 2 and extending at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof. The guide groove 13 is so dimensioned that in the supporting member 2 a sealing surface 24 is formed against which the hose piece 3 is pressed when the slide 5 is in the closed position. The supporting member 2 and the slide 5 have control surfaces 25, 26 and 27 formed thereon by means of which the closing pressure is automatically increased when the internal pressure of the bottle rises. The supporting member 2 has an annular groove 8 in its outer surface for accommodating a tension ring 7, which groove has a depression 30 on the side facing a tension lever 23 for the insertion of a mounting tool by means of which the tension ring 7 is stretched on assembly of the closure parts and engaged with the tension lever 23. The tension lever 23 is non-positively connected with a bell-crank lever 9 serving as actuating member and pivotally mounted together with the tension lever on a common axle 22. At the rear end of the slide 5 an aperture 31 is provided through which the tension lever 23 is inserted. Thus, when the bell-crank lever 9 is actuated, the slide 5 is drawn into the open position by the tension lever 23 and, when the bell-crank lever 9 is released, the slide 5 slides back into the closed position. At the point where the tension ring 7 engages it, the tension lever 23 is so shaped that the tension ring 7, when the closure is opened, is displaced along the tension lever 23 in a direction towards the axis 22 whereby the lever arm with which the tension ring 7 engages the tension lever 23 is reduced in length. This construction of the tension lever 23 prevents the tension ring 7 from being stretched to an unnecessarily great extent, so that the bell-crank lever 9 can be actuated with substantially equal force.

At the top of the closure housing 1 there is provided a frustro-conical opening 29 serving to apply a mechanical filling device thereto, which opening in the closed position of the slide 5 is covered by an extended end 29 of the bellcrank lever 9 whereby the hose piece 3 is protected from mechanical damage from the outside. To facilitate pouring, the closure housing 1 has a lip 21 formed thereon. Moreover, two outwardly protruding ribs 12 are formed on the outer surface of the closure housing, between which the bell-crank lever 9 is pivotally mounted so that it is protected against impact and accidental pressure. Between the ribs 12 there is an opening in the closure housing, through which the slide 5 and the tension ring 7 are led out of the closure housing. To keep this opening covered in the opened position of the bell-crank lever 9, two side walls 28 extending parallel to the ribs 12 of the closure housing 1 are provided on the bell-crank lever. The side walls 28 enclose the tension lever 23 and the tension ring 7 so as to protect them from mechanical damage. The mounting of the closure device on the neck 11 of the bottle is effected in the illustrated example by means of a threaded collar 14 made in two parts which is fitted on the neck 11 of the bottle and on which the closure housing 1 is screwed with a corresponding thread. The threaded collar 14 composed of two halves is adapted on the inner surface to the outer shape of the bottle neck 11 and engages with an annular bead 32 in a groove formed in the neck of the bottle. When the closure housing 1 is screwed in position the threaded collar 14 is firmly clamped in the groove in the bottle neck by means of the annular head 32. This method of fixing is extremely simple and ensures a firm seat of the closure device on the neck 11 of the bottle. If the threaded collar 14 is made of an elastic material, e.g. plastics material, it it advisable to construct it of one integral piece and to divide it by a slot extending on one side in the longitudinal direction.

All the parts of the closure device may be made of plastics material, if this is permitted by their structural design.

The method of operation of the closure device is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8t When the bell-crank lever 9 is released, it is retracted by the tension ring 7 through the intermediary of the tension lever 23 into its original position. The tension lever 23 thereby pushes the slide "5 into the closed position shown in FIG. 1, in which the passage 10 is shut-off. In this position the control surfaces 25, '26 and 27 provided on the supporting member 2 and the slide 5 are brought into engagement with each other. As soon as the pressure prevailing in the bottle rises, the wall of the hose piece 3 is caused to engage the underside of the slide 5 and urges the latter upwardly. The control surfaces 25, 26 and 27 cause the slide 5 to be pushed to the left, as shown in FIG. 2, whereby the hose piece is compressed more tightly. With continued rising of the pressure in the bottle the hose piece 3 is urged by the front end of the slide 5 against the sealing surface 24 provided on the supporting member 2.

FIG. 3 shows the closure device in the opened position. The tension ring 7 has slid down the spine of the tension lever 23 from the position shown in dash lines into the position shown in full lines. The lever arm thereof with which it engages on the tension 'lever 23 has thereby been reduced in length.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. A closure device for containers for liquids, particularly for bottles for carbonated beverages with a neck, comprising a closure housing mounted on the bottle neck, a sleeve-like supporting member inserted in said closure housing, a hose piece surrounded by said supporting member and with a reinforcement at each end supported on the end faces of said supporting member and respectively sealingly engaged by one of said end faces with the open end of the bottle neck and by the other of said end faces with the outer end of said closure housing, a spring urged clamping member for compressing said hose piece to close passage through said hose piece serving for filling and emptying the bottle, and an actuating member for actuating said clamping member.

2. A closure device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcements provided on both ends of the hose piece engage around the two end faces of the supporting member.

3. A closure device as claimed in claim 2, wherein projections are provided on the underside of the reinforcements of the hose piece 'and corresponding recesses are formed in the supporting member, said projections engaging in said recesses to prevent the hose piece from turning.

'4. A closure device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the supporting member is composed of two longitudinally divided halves.

5. A closure device as claimed in claim '1, wherein the clamping member serving to compress the hose piece is mounted in the supporting member.

6. A closure device as claimed in claim 5, wherein a slide is used as the clamping member and a guide groove is formed in the supporting member and extends at right angles to the longitudinal axis thereof, said slide being mounted in said guide groove.

7. A closure device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a sealing surface is provided on the guide groove in the sup porting member and is engaged by the hose piece in the closed position of the slide.

8. A closure device as claimed in claim 7, wherein a control surface is provided on the guide groove in the supporting member and cooperates with the slide in such a manner that the closing pressure exerted by the slide is automatically increased when the internal pressure of the bottle rises.

9. A closure device as claimed in claim 8, wherein further control surfaces are provided on the slide.

10. A closure device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a tension lever is non-positively connected with the actuating member and the slide is pushed into the closing position by means of said tension lever.

11. A closure device as claimed in claim wherein the spring urging means for the clamping member comprises a tension ring of rubber or any other suitable material, which tension ring engages on the supporting member and the tension lever and serves to produce the closing pressure.

12. A closure device as claimed in claim 11, wherein a groove is formed in the outer surface of the supporting member and serves to guide and accommodate the tension ring.

13. A closure device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the tension lever is so shaped that the tension ring when the closure is opened, is displaced on the tension lever in the direction of the pivotal axis of the tension lever whereby the lever arm with which the tension ring engages on the tension lever is reduced in length.

14. A closure device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the actuating member is constructed as a lever and the tension lever and the actuating member are mounted on a common pivotal axis in the closure housing.

15. A closure device as claimed in claim 14, wherein the actuating member is constructed as a bell-crank lever which covers with its end bent at an angle the passage accessible from the outside of the hose piece in the closing position.

16. A closure device as claimed in claim 15, wherein two side walls are provided on the bell-crank lever so that the tension lever and the tension ring are enclosed by the bell-crank lever.

17. A closure device as claimed in claim 16, wherein two ribs are provided on the closure housing and protrude outwardly and the bell-crank lever is arranged between said ribs.

18. A closure device as claimed in claim 17, wherein a frustro-conical opening is formed in the closure housing for mechanically filling the bottle.

19. A closure device as claimed in claim 18, wherein a lip is formed on the outside of the closure housing to facilitate pouring out.

20. A closure device as claimed in claim 19, wherein a threaded collar is slipped over the neck of the bottle and longitudinally divided at least on one side and the closure housing is screwed on to said collar.

No references cited. 

1. A CLOSURE DEVICE FOR CONTAINERS FOR LIQUIDS, PARTICULARLY FOR BOTTLES FOR CARBONATED BEVERAGES WITH A NECK, COMPRISING A CLOSURE HOUSING MOUNTED ON THE BOTTLE NECK, A SLEEVE-LIKE SUPPORTING MEMBER INSERTED IN SAID CLOSURE HOUSING, A HOSE PIECE SURROUNDED BY SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER AND WITH A REINFORCEMENT AT EACH END SUPPORTED ON THE END FACES OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER AND RESPECTIVELY SEALINGLY ENGAGED BY ONE OF SAID END FACES WITH THE OPEN END OF THE BOTTLE NECK AND BY THE OTHER OF SAID END FACES WITH THE OUTER END OF SAID CLOSURE HOUSING, A SPRING URGED CLAMPING MEMBER FOR COMPRESSING SAID HOSE PIECE TO CLOSE PASSAGE THROUGH SAID HOSE PIECE SERVING FOR FILLING 